Men ignore less attractive woman after crash

By Lo Cheng-ming and Jason Pan / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A woman was left standing bedraggled and bruised in the rain after being injured in a traffic accident in Taoyuan County while male passersby lavished attention on another young woman who had been in the same accident, but who was apparently more good-looking.

The incident occurred on Sunday in Pingjheng City (平鎮), Taoyuan County, when a truck hit a scooter. There was slight damage to both vehicles, and the rider of the scooter, surnamed Chang (張) and her passenger, surnamed Huang (黃), suffered minor cuts and bruises.

On a wet day, four or five male passersby crowded around Huang — reported as being good-looking — using their umbrellas to shield her from the rain.

According to eyewitnesses, this was in stark contrast to the treatment of Chang — reportedly less attractive — who was ignored by the passersby, and who stood in the rain with no one offering her an umbrella nor showing concern for her welfare.

One onlooker shook his head and said: “These guys showed such concern for the pretty girl. They must have ulterior motives.”

The ambulance driver on the scene said that the girls had suffered only minor scrapes, and was surprised when zealous male passersby — referring to Huang — told him to “take the mei mei [妹妹, “little sister” in Mandarin] to the hospital first, as she had more serious injuries.”

The paramedics put both girls in the ambulance and took them to hospital.

Commenting on the incident, Ho Pi-tseng (何碧珍), secretary-general of the National Alliance of Taiwan’s Women’s Associations, said that the public should demonstrate equal enthusiasm, kindness and care regardless of gender, age, or any differences in appearance.